Name ______________________________
Date ___________________ Pd ________
The Civilizations of America: Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Inca
I. Civilizations of America
A. While ____________________
civilizations were developing in the Mediterranean & Asia…advanced societies were developing in
classical
isolation
Americas
____________________
in the ______________________
Ice Age
land bridge
1. During the _________________,
prehistoric nomads migrated across the _________________________
between Asia & America
farming villages; Some of which became advanced civilizations
2. During the Neolithic Revolution, these nomads settled into _____________
B. The first American civilization were people known as the _____________
in an area known as ________________________________
Olmec
Mesoamerica
mother culture
1. The Olmecs are often called the “________________________________”
because they influenced other Mesoamerican societies
trade
wealth
2. The Olmecs developed a strong _______________
network in Mesoamerica that brought them great _______________________
monuments & __________________
pyramids to honor their leaders & gods
a. The Olmecs used their wealth to build large stone _________________
spread
culture
b. Olmec trade allowed them to ________________
their __________________
to other Mesoamericans
unknown
declined
3. For __________________________
reasons, the Olmec civilization ____________________
by 400 B.C. but their cities & symbols
Mayans
influenced later cultures, especially the _________________
II. Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Empires
A. Mayans
1. Rise of the Empire: While the Olmecs were in decline around
Mayans
400 B.C., the ________________________
were evolving &
borrowed many Olmec ideas
divided
2. Government: Mayans were _______________________
into
city-states
individual __________________________
ruled by king-gods
trade
3. Economy: The Mayan economy was based on ____________
farming
& ____________________maize, beans
kings (dynasties) (2) Nobles, priests,
4. Society: (1) _______________________;
peasants
warriors; (3) Merchants & artisans; (4) __________________
blood
5. Religion: Mayans were polytheistic & offered their ________,
food, & sometimes __________
human sacrifices to please the gods
writing
6. Technology: Mayans invented a __________________
based
glyphs
on pictures called _________________,
an accurate 365-day
calendar
_______________________________,
& advanced temples
7. Decline & Fall of the Empire: Around 800 A.D., the Mayans
mysteriously
_______________________
declined perhaps due to warfare
farming
among Mayan city-states & over-____________________
B. Aztecs
1. Rise of the Empire
a. After the decline of the Mayans, the ___________________
were developing in present-day ___________________
Aztecs
Mexico
b. Around 1200, Aztecs arrived in Mexico & built their city ______________________________________________
in 1325
Tenochtitlan
empire
provinces
2. Government: The Aztecs formed a massive ___________________,
controlled it through 38 _____________________,
& received
tribute from conquered peoples
3. Economy: They survived on _________________
& farming; They built “___________________________________”
(chinampas)
tribute
floating gardens
slaves
4. Society: (1) Kings, (2) Nobility, (3) Commoners, (4) ________________
sun God
sacrifices
5. Religion: Aztecs worshipped many gods, especially the _________________
& made thousands of human ___________________
each year
calendar
temples
6. Technology: Like the Mayans, the Aztecs developed an accurate __________________
& built advanced ____________________
7. Decline & Fall of the Empire
decline
brutal
a. Around 1500 A.D., the Aztecs began to ________________;
A century of ________________
rule over the provinces & millions
revolts
of human sacrifices led to ____________________
Spanish
b. But, the true demise of the Aztecs came when the _________________________
discovered America & conquered the Aztecs
C. Incas
1. Rise of the Empire:
Incas began to dominate the area of the Andes Mountains of ___________
South America
a. While the Aztecs ruled Mexico, the __________
Machu Picchu
Cuzcu
b. Many Incan cities like _________________________
& Cuzcu were built in the ________________________
2. Government:
empire
a. Like the Aztecs, the Incas built a vast _____________________
which included 80 provinces
b. But, the Incas ruled with tolerance & _________________
their empire with roads, _______________,
& a common language
unified
schools
controlled
farm
3. Economy: The Incan gov’t ___________________
the economy & required all citizens to ___________
for the good of the empire
commoners
4. Society: (1) King, (2) Nobility, (3) Ayllu (____________________)
polytheistic
humans
5. Religion: The Inca were ________________________
& offered llamas & food (but not ___________________)
to the gods
quipu
knotted
6. Technology: Inca innovations included _______________,
a means of record keeping involving ____________________________
roads
bridges
as well as an extensive system of _______________ & suspension ____________________
civil war
7. Decline & Fall of the Empire: In the 1520s, a ________________________
divided & weakened the Incan Empire; Ten years later
Spanish
________________________
conquistadors conquered the empire
Review Activity: Place the number in the appropriate box(es) in the chart
Olmecs
(6 descriptions)
1.
2.
4.
6.
7.
15.
Aztecs
Mayans
(7 descriptions)
1.
2.
4.
6.
7.
9.
12.
Incas
(7 descriptions)
4.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
14.
(7 descriptions)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
11.
13.
Descriptions of American Civilizations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Historians are not sure why they collapsed
Kings ruled over city-states, not a unified empire
Had a large empire with roads for sending messages
Had thriving trade
Government controlled trade and farming
Built religious temples
Worshipped many gods
Sun god was most important
Used human sacrifice and bloodletting as a part of religion
Warriors were in the noble class, followed by commoners, slaves were at the bottom of society
Emperor was at the top, but all people within the empire were taken care of
Had writing based on glyphs
Used quipu to keep records
Built chinampas for farming
Built large carved head statutes
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